Network element terminal data interface system and method

Abstract

A NETWORK ELEMENT TERMINAL DATA INTERFACE (NETDI) system and method incorporating a terminal user interface which permits manipulation of network elements using a hardware-specific control language is disclosed. The present invention teaches automatic generation of on-line help directly from I/O manual specifications and translation of operator commands into network element specific protocols via the use of a network element database and associated XML repository. Various preferred embodiments of the present invention incorporate the use of TL1 composer/parsers to permit the automatic generation of Translation Language 1 interfaces between an operator console and a wide variety of telecommunication network elements. The present invention operates over a wide variety of communication media and permits a significant reduction of software maintenance with respect to on-line help generation directly from I/O manual specifications as well as automated incorporation of new network element features into existing operator console environmental controls, resulting in a drastic reduction in the required network element control language proficiency of network operators in any given telecommunications environment.

1. A system for facilitating the implementation by a customer of adding a particular network element to be managed by a telecommunications network element manager or of modifying the management of the particular network element already being managed by the element manager, comprising:
 a terminal data interface receiving an I/O source document specific to the particular network element, the document being converted to HTML format and provided to the customer,
 said data interface including an adapter database toolkit, wherein the toolkit responds to a command from the customer to 
 extract information about Transaction Language 1 (TL1) commands from the HTML source document and 
 generate from the TL1 command information an XML file to be used by an adapter database that is specific to the particular network element; and 
 
 an operator interface, wherein the terminal data interface uses the adapter database to provide at the operator interface a command window which facilitates parameter entry for and construction of TL1 commands. 
 
   
   
     2. The system of  claim 1  wherein said toolkit extracts information about TL1 commands from the HTML source document, including extracting a command function menu. 
   
   
     3. The system of  claim 1  wherein the I/O source document converted to HTML format includes hidden tags inserted to flag specific adapter database data. 
   
   
     4. The system of  claim 1  wherein said operator interface comprises a response window. 
   
   
     5. The system of  claim 1  wherein said operator interface comprises a command creation panel. 
   
   
     6. The system of  claim 4  wherein said command creation panel comprises a command code tree. 
   
   
     7. The system of  claim 4  wherein said command creation panel comprises a command parameter panel. 
   
   
     8. The system of  claim 7  wherein said command creation panel comprises a command string panel.